I'll Be
by J.T13
Summary: A Datenight disaster turns out not to be so bad for Lily and Ray. It is a chance to reconnect,so will they take it?


This is a repost, because it got taken off and I wated to resubmit it "_properly._" It's okay anyway, because I may want to do something more with it later. I've thought of some angles, so it doesn't have to neccessarily stay a "one-shot."

I don't own RFR, do you? I'm in the process of getting the paper-work filled out... but until it gets back... consider this story "DISCLAIMED." Rally4ever doesn't own RFR or its characters, and "they" don't own my story either, I guess we're even.

And I would like to "officially" state, that I do not even own the song I use in my song-fic... I got "infracted" for that one, because I wasn't sure the "proper" procedure for using other people's lyrics... Hey, I wish I had thought of them... Anyway, this song is like the best-ever love song in history, and it's VERY WELL KNOWN, I thought it would've been obvious that it was not mine. And if that wasn't enough, I give "Edwin McCain" major props for that one in the story... HE IS A GENIUS!

So, please don't delete or report me again. I'd appreciate it... writing is hard enough without having to be "INFRACTED." It was a simple, innocent mistaken misunderstanding. I am NOT a plagiarizer because I respect other artists works way too much to do that... I mean, I wouldn't like it if someone went around and stole the stories I authored. WORDS ARE POWERFUL, it is a motto I live by, so they must be respected. Writing is an imperfect craft because Writers aren't perfect. It happens sometimes. It is to be expected. We're all just trying our bests. We're in it together.

* * *

It was just any other date night in Roscoe, but it seemed every couple in the one-horse town was out and about making plans...

Mickey's was packed...

Lily rushes in to find barely any standing room, and looks to her left to find Ray in pretty much the same predicament... trapped near the door...

She moves over to where he is, since it seems to be the only direction to go in...

"Whatcha doing here stranger?"

It has felt like forever since she's seen or spoken to him, outside of school and RFR that is... Well, things just weren't the same for some "unknown" reason...

"Well, I've been waiting for twenty minutes for Grace to get here... I'll bet it's her hair that's making her late... It's always the hair," Ray says with a shake of his head...

"Yeah, I'm supposed to meet River before we head out, but he'd better get here soon or we might loose the reservations he made, and get black-listed from Chez' Pierre..."

"Big Spender, huh?"

"Well, not really, it's just River Pierce has a way of getting what he wants... He can be very persuasive you know?"

"I'll bet," Ray states with a turned away roll of his eyes.

"So, what does the evening hold in store for Mr. Brennan and Miss 'Gracie' ," Lily tauntingly extends out the "cieeeeeee."

"Oh, you know just a little pre-engagement ring shopping..."

Lily gives him a death stare which makes him smirk a confession.

"Kidding, gee Lil. We're not planning anything special really, just grabbing a quick bite here before heading off to watch Battling Babes Of Beijing III."

"Weren't I and II enough?"

"Lily, Lily... the public will never get enough of Battling Babes."

"Ray, I hate to admit it, but I kind of was hoping we'd watch it together since Iskipped out onthe last one with you. We kind of haven't been clicking lately. And um, I miss you sometimes."

"Yeah, that's what happens when people have as busy social lives as we. River and Grace take up a lot of time."

"Yeah, I guess so," Lily looks down slightly through a disappointed tone.

"Lil..."

"Yeah, Ray?"

"I've been missing you too."

"Really Ray?" Lily asks hopefully.

"No, not really," Lily takes a throw at his arm for his uncompliance.

"Oww, yes of course I have silly."

"Well, that's good to know," Lily looks up a little more cheerfully.

They both start to stay something at the same time, "Lily/Ray you're still my..."

Their conversation is interrupted as Mickey's booming voice comes over the mike on stage, "Okay for all you star-crossed lovers out there who are blocking my entranceway... I dedicate this song to you... in a desperate attempt to get you guys to migrate out here on the floor. You kids are probably too young to appreciate Ed McCain's style, but that man knows what love is all about. So, come on everybody since my whole joint seems jammed-packed with couples. Get giggy with it."

Everyone laughs a bit before pairing off. It becomes like Noah's Ark in there... two by two until only Ray and Lily were left.

"That's just despicable... what if I don't feel like dancing because my girlfriend isn't here yet? They have no respect," Ray states.

"I know Ray, it's a shameful display of romanticism, but you could never dance that well anyway. Though I must say I love this song, it's one of my favorites."

Lily recognizes the tune as the first chords ring out, she'd practiced strumming it a hundred times before.

"Well, Miss Randall. I'm gonna have to prove you wrong, since you underestimate my abilities. May I have this dance?" Ray bows slightly and puts his hand out very gallantly.

"Well, since you put it like that... How could I refuse?" Lily gently places her hand in his, though if she'd remembered all the lyrics that accompanied that hypnotic tune, she might of reconsidered.

Ray puts both their joined hands up in the air, and draws Lily in closer to him.

"Lil, you look breath-takenly gorgeous tonight. River's a lucky man." Ray takes some time to look her over. She's wearing a simple-cut black dress, and her hair is drawn down in order to show off her ringlet curls, which fall from all around her face.

"You clean up pretty well yourself, there Brennan. It's a good thing you took my advice on how to 'impress a girl,' Grace should benefit from it. She'd be an idiot not to. "

Lily sees Ray is wearing a classy, long- white v-neck and is sporting some very stylish black pants.

Ray smirks out a response, "I know I'm not 'The Great River Pierce,' but I do the best I can with what I've got..."

Lily giggles at this and says, "Well, for what it's worth. I think you look very Debonaire."

"It's worth a lot to me Lil," Ray says as he tightens his grip around the small of her back,

Lily's pulled helplessly closer.

"I'm glad, Ray." Lily breathes out.

'Why is it suddenly so stuffy in here', Lily wonders to herself.

Suddenly the people in Mickey's, in Roscoe, in the whole entire world seem to blur away. They could've been all alone or in the middle of crowd, it didn't matter between them. It would've made no difference.

'I'd almost forgotten it could be this way with him,' Lily thinks to herself.

'How could I've forgotten she can have this kind of affect on me," Ray questions himself.

The first lyrics start to sound out softly, away in vanished background somewhere.

"The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful

Stop me and steal my breath..."

From this point of view, Ray has a great vantage point of her eyes and he's captivated. Her eyes are like deep- emerald pools.

"Emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky

Never revealing their depth...

Tell me that we belong together...

Dress it up with the trappings of love."

"I'll be captivated...

I'll hang from your lips..

Instead of the gallows of heartache

that hang from above.."

Lily takes this chance to get more comfortable and put her head on Ray's shoulder. She feels the tip of his chin on the top of her head, as he rests it there.

The chorus starts to play...

"I'll be your crying shoulder...

I'll be love suicide...

I'll be better when I'm older...

I'll be the greatest fan of your life."

Ray notices his shirt's shoulder has become a little moistened by her forming tears... And he doesn't mind at all, not one bit...

"Rain falls angry on the tin roof

As we lie awake in my bed...

A million memories flood both their thoughts with sleep-overs, hamsters, night lights, and tree-forts...

"You're my survival, you're my living proof...

My love is alive and not dead..."

Love needs to be breathing to be real... They never had a real chance to talk about what happened between them, how they seemed to be drifting a part a little more and more each day, but somehow that all didn't seem to matter anymore, right now they were both lost in the words they were feeling...

"Tell me that we belong together

Dress it up with the trappings of love...

I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips...

Instead of the gallows of heartache

that hang from above..."

Ray recalls how he'd support Lily, buy her tickets and be the first one to hear her latest "No Man's Land" song. He reminds himself of a misspelled "Staring Lily Randall" poster, and how fun they were to make, well that was one of his more "genius" moments. Fact was, Lily Randall was going places and everyone knew it... He could always say, 'he knew her back when...' and sell her autographs on e-bay, but he could never part with anything of hers. He was wondering know how he could "officially" join the Grace fan club, when his membership was previously established elsewhere. Not only was he a charter member of the "Lily Randall Fan Club," Heck he was the president. He knew Grace deserved someone who would be her biggest fan too, he doubted if he could in good "conscience" apply for the job. Grace was the kind of girl who deserved so much more, like a man who would love her as much as he loved this woman, he was now holding back in his arms again.

"I'll be your crying shoulder...

I'll be love suicide...

I'll be better when I'm older...

I'll be the greatest fan of your life."

Lily remembers how Ray has always been her crying and her punching shoulder, all in one... Sure, he was a goff-ball and a little immature right now, but she knew he'd grow up to be a wonderful man... the kind she could be proud of. She wonders if she could ever feel that way about River, and it only makes her sob harder into Ray's shirt, because she is starting to realize the answer she had known all along. She can't lie to herself anymore.

"I've been dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead

Tuned in, turned on, Rememerbered the things that you said..."

All the said words and unspoken promises. How could they be tossed aside? It was like every moment was etched in stone, on the canvas of their minds.

They were supposed to be able to be there for one another for always and forever.

"I'll be your crying shoulder...

I'll be love suicide...

I'll be better when I'm older...

I'll be the greatest fan of your life. The greatest fan of your life..."

As the last notes stretch out, and the beat fades away... Lily is afraid to look up and Ray is terrified to let go of such a wonderful, too-soon-ending dream.

They didn't want to wake up; they didn't have the heart for it. They hold on a second longer than they should... All they know is they don't want this to be the last dance they have in store with one another..

Lily whispers in his ear, "Ray, the song... the dance... it's all over.. It's go time."

Ray only squeezes her tighter in response, "Not for me Lil, it will never be... darn that photographic memory of mine."

Lily smiles and says, "Me too Ray, me too..."

They both take a deep breath and break apart but not away. They're still lightly holding each other's hands.

"Lily Randall... you should know, I'm still you're # 1 fan..."

"I know, Ray Brennan... and I'm yours... We'll work it all out eventually..."

They both breathe out, "We're supposed to..."

Ray leans the corner of his head down on hers, and they smile together while their eyes are connected. Ray kisses the top of her forehead, right before they hear a set of familiar voices just outside, beyond the door.

"I'm telling you Gracie, mouse does not hold as well as gel, and that's why I'm a little late picking my sweet cakes up... My hair just wouldn't come out right in the mirror..."

"River when you're right... you're right. My hair was a mess too. I hope Ray will forgive me for standing him up and making him wait on me..."

"They're here... More importantly, we were right about the hair..." Lily and Ray chuckle to themselves and released their joined hands.

They turn around to face their dates...

"Hey, Sweets... you look real hot tonight... except your eyes are red and your make-up's running a little bit... Do you want to fix it up here or at the restaurant?"

"Yeah... Hi to you too Riv, but I think I'll fix myself up at the restaurant... We wouldn't want to be any later..." Lily states annoyed.

"Now, Ray... Why don't you take me out to any fancy places like that," Grace asks pleadingly.

"Simple Gracie, because Mickey's is fine gourmet dining..."

"Oww... what is it with you women," Ray asks as Grace punches his shoulder.

"Ray... why is your nice shirt all wet... did you spill water on yourself again," Grace questions notices the right corner of his shirt.

"Yeah, that's what happened... you know me..." Ray responds knowingly. Lily smirks at yet another inside joke.

"Lily, we'd better get going..." River tugs at her arm.

"Yeah, River I'm coming..."

"Rayyyy... we'd better get a table before they're all taken... I've never seen Mickey's this packed before..." Grace pulls on his arm too.

Lily and Ray head off in different directions with different people...

They mouth a quick "bye" and steal one last look back at each other... Ray sees Lily's blue-green eyes flash before him, and Lily is stayed by Ray's puppy-dog stare...

They both knew where they wanted to be, but it would all have to happen in good time... The best things come to those who'll wait.

"So Ray, were you bored here waiting for me" Grace asks as they start to sit down...

"Bored isn't quite the word Gracie, I found something worth my while." Ray responds, thinking back on the dance.

Grace smiles back at him and says, "Well, that's good to know... I wouldn't want to leave you all alone for long."

* * *

Somewhere in a not too distant corner table, another couple who weren't too fond of dancing had observed the whole scene play out

"Trav, do you think those two will ever get it together..."

"I hope so Parker, because they're giving me a migraine..."

"I know what you mean..." Parker says as she leans in for a kiss.

Travis and Parker can only hope their friends will find themselves as happy as they are.  
Every one deserves that chance.


End file.
